A baking tip: Vanilla Sugar

Folks-
This post is going to be more a cooking tip than a recipe. I found out about this a couple of years ago. You can create a nearly perpetual flow of vanilla flavoring if you’re willing to go through a bit of work and wait a while, but considering the cost of real vanilla extract, it’s definitely worth it.

The flavoring is actually not a vanilla extract, it’s vanilla sugar. It will work well in virtually any recipe that you use that includes both vanilla and sugar. It may take some experimentation on your part to get the substitution correct, but the basic substitution is this:

Remove the same amount of sugar from the recipe as your recipe calls for vanilla (i.e. If the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of vanilla, remove 1 teaspoon of sugar from the recipe) and include the same amount of vanilla sugar.

Now, how is this useful? Like I said, you can create a nearly endless supply of it. I’ll include a recipe that uses it soon.

There is one drawback to making vanilla sugar: Once prepared, you have to wait about a month before harvesting any of it.

Here’s how you do it:

You need one pound of sugar, one vanilla bean, and an airtight container. Slit the vanilla bean down it’s length, and then cut it into one inch pieces. Mix the pieces of vanilla bean into the sugar, and place it in the airtight container. Store it in a cool, dry place (like a pantry.) Now, wait one month.

Now, once the flavor/scent of the vanilla has infused the sugar, simply replace any vanilla sugar you use with regular sugar as you use it. There is no need to wait another month after replacing reasonable amounts of vanilla sugar (say, less than about a quarter cup.) But you should replace it pretty much as you use it. If you do this, your supply can last as much as 10 years. Not bad, huh?

What, ANOTHER blog? And the Smoky Southwestern Pot Roast Recipe

Folks-

Yep, it’s time for yet another themed blog from yours truly. I’ve currently got two other blogs here at Blogspot: My first blog is about my political views; my second is about my art and pictures.

So, why another blog? ‘Cuz I like to cook. This blog is all about my favorite recipes and cooking techniques. Some recipes I’ve created, some are from family members, and some are from other sources. I’ll try to give credit where it’s due. I may even give off-the-cuff reviews of some restaurants or food suppliers (but I won’t commit to that.)

So, in order to usher in the premier of this blog, I’ll introduce one of my wife’s favorite recipes: The Smoky Southwestern Pot Roast. This is one of the first recipes I came up with completely from scratch (I usually enjoy tweaking someone else’s recipe,) and it’s almost freakishly simple. Here’s the history of this recipe: I made my first pot roast about a year before my daughter was born, about 10 years ago. I had found a decent recipe online that used a slow-cooker. The ingredients were simple, just a roast and vegetables, and put them in the slow-cooker on high for several hours. It came out okay, but really my big problem with the recipe was that the meat consistently came out with very little flavor. I’ve since discovered that this is fairly common with roasts, but I digress. I came up with the idea that I would try making the pot roast and adding liquid smoke to give it more flavor, and while shopping, I thought that the next time I would use salsa instead of the vegetables the next time and see how it came out. When I got home, I decided to try both approaches simultaneously, and the Smoky Southwestern Pot Roast was born.

Before you try to make this roast, I should warn you that your entire house will smell like a good restaurant. You should also budget plenty of time the first time you make it just to watch it so it doesn’t burn.

Without further ado, here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 Beef Roast, about 2 to 4 lbs.

1 16oz Jar Hot Salsa or Picante Sauce

1-2 T Liquid Smoke

Up to 1 C Water

Combine Salsa or Picante Sauce in a bowl with the Liquid Smoke. Pour half of the mixture into the bottom of a slow cooker. Put the roast in the slow cooker, and cover it with the remaining mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH.

If you like to be able to slice your roast, cook for 5-6 hours. If you want your roast to be so tender that it falls apart, cook for 7-8 hours.

The meat on the outside of the roast will have the most flavor. People with sensitive taste buds should go for the meat in the center of the roast.

That’s it for this time. I’ll have another recipe soon!

-Edly